The meeting will cover all topics concerning natural argillaceous geological barriers and clay material based engineered barrier systems, investigated by means of: laboratory experiments on clay samples (new analytical developments), in situ experiments in underground research laboratories, mock-up demonstrations, natural analogues, as well as numerical modelling and global integration approaches (including upscaling processes and treatment of uncertainties).
General strategy
Examples of broad research programs (national or international) on the role of natural and artificial clay barriers for radionuclide confinement.
Clay-based repository concepts
Repository designs, including technological and safety issues related to the use of clay for nuclear waste confinement.
Geology and clay characterisation
Clay mineralogy, sedimentology, paleoenvironment, diagenesis, datation techniques, discontinuities in rock clay, fracturing, self sealing processes, role of organic matter and microbiological processes.
Geochemistry
Pore water geochemistry, clay thermodynamics, chemical retention, geochemical modelling, advanced isotopic geochemistry.
Mass transfer
Water status and hydraulic properties in low permeability media, pore space geometry, water, solute & gas transfer processes, colloid mediated transport, large scale movements, long-term diffusion.
Alteration processes
Oxidation effects, hydration-dehydration processes, response to thermal stress, iron-clay interactions, alkaline perturbation.
Geomechanics
Thermo-Hydro-Mechanical behaviour of clay, rheological models, EDZ characterisation and evolution, coupled behaviour and models (HM, THM, THMC).
